OFA has provided comments to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness through their consultation process on the proposed Farmland Security Act, 2026, a legislative framework to restrict foreign acquisition of Ontario farmland.

OFA supports the proposed Farmland Security Act, 2026 as a measure to help protect Ontario farmland from speculative foreign investment and improve long-term farmland affordability for farmers.

At the same time, OFA emphasizes that the legislation must not discourage legitimate agricultural investment or unfairly impact Ontario family farms that use modern corporate ownership structures.

OFA recommends that the regulations include:

• Clear guidelines and timelines for evaluating applications under the Ministerial permission pathway so the process does not create uncertainty that deters productive investment;
• Exemptions for foreign-born individuals who intend to reside in Ontario and actively farm;
• Explicitly recognize both legal and beneficial ownership when defining restricted entities in the regulations, ensuring that legitimate farm operators are not penalized; and
• Ensure the conveyance reporting requirements do not create new red tape for Ontario farmers.

Overall, OFA supports the intent of the legislation while encouraging a balanced regulatory approach that protects farmland without restricting legitimate farm operations, succession planning, or sector growth.